


What happens in the Off-season

by harhar12



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Introspection, Kinda, M/M, Self-Discovery, Supernatural - Freeform, Yuuri's stamina
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-05-05
Packaged: 2018-10-06 03:46:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10324895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harhar12/pseuds/harhar12
Summary: The first month into the off-season was when skaters could catch up on the things they do outside of skating.Yuuri was no different. However, today seems rather peculiar.OrSomething magical happens and Victor isn't around to see it. Wonder what?





	1. Swan Lake

It was a chilly morning. The snow of April had started melting with the telltale signs of Spring becoming apparent. Even then the end of Winter in St. Petersburg was, predictably, more cruel than it ever was in Hasetsu. In the middle of it all lay Yuuri Katsuki, current Worlds Silver Medalist (Victor reclaimed gold, pfft).

Supposed silver medalist was about to freeze his toes off. He vigorously tried to wiggle said toes to make sure they were still there. He had turned the heater down a few degrees believing he could take it. Wrong decision. For all of Victor’s talk of him being as warm as an electric blanket, he sure wasn’t feeling that warmth

Speaking of Victor, the man was currently on a weeklong trip around Europe rubbing elbows potential sponsors who had endorsement deals for himself and for Yuuri. That left Yuuri alone in their king size bed.

“I never realized how big our bed was.” He said to himself. _Our_ bed _._ He rolled on the bed several times to calm his giddy self.

After rolling around, Yuuri realized something. _It’s still dark outside._

He probably drifted off to sleep while using his phone of the glasses on his forehead was any indication. He fumbled his hands around the bed to find his phone. It was teetering on the edge of the side table. He quickly grabbed it and checked the time.

_4:00 AM huh_. He never woke up this early. Even on days with practice, the earliest e would wake up was at 7:00 AM because Victor’s ice time always started in the morning. He always saw Victor off. His own ice time came late in the afternoon right after the ice dance skaters.

Today was different. It was the first week of the off season. This is when skaters would busy themselves with things in their life that did not involve skating like traveling, visiting family or just lazing around at home.

Yurio had taken the rest of the season off, after winning the Grand Prix. He wanted to catch up on his studies under the government sanctioned curriculum for young Russian athletes. That and he made a ton of sponsor money by taking gold at the Grand Prix.

(“Watch out for me next season, pig.” He had said to Yuuri with a scowl before boarding a plane for his trip to Kazakhstan of all places. Who knew Yurio had a friend there?)

 

On a normal off season day, Yuuri would not be opposed to staying in bed until midday but today something was off. He felt a weird energy within him. This was surprising considering the fact that he wasn’t a morning person.

_I have to get up._ So he did. He went through the five basic ballet positions while using the couch in their living room as a makeshift barre. Male ballet dancers weren't allowed to dance en pointe. Yuuri had wanted to but Minako decided against it. It could affect his bone structure, she reasoned. He started dancing on of the ballet routines he knew by heart.

([Black swan. Pas de Deux](https://youtu.be/p21n1xorjEs)) This was routine made for two people. Minako had taught him the choreography of the female counter part as she had learned herself while she was still dancing at the Bolshoi. While Yuuri lacked the flexibility of his youth, he made up for it in his near-flawless fouettes.

His turns had only gotten better over the years; so did his footwork. To end the routine, he did a grand jete and paused before doing a portion of the [Dying Swan](https://youtu.be/IW3GAjAKges).

This routine, he never fully mastered. He could do the arm movements fine, the footwork, even better. But he never truly embodied the choreography. It demanded a fragility that he could never integrate into his style which greatly pegged on quiet strength and stability. And yet, this time, he could properly do the routine in a way that had him satisfied. Yuuri had always adored the vulnerability of the routine. Today he exuded such. 

* * *

After nearly an hour of ballet, Yuuri certainly worked up a sweat. Still, he felt somewhat boundless energy within him.

_What the…Something is definitely different today._ Yuuri couldn’t pinpoint it but something, _something,_ was thrumming within him, desperate to come out.

_I gotta go skate_ , he decided.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3 Kudos and I'll post the next part :)
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Comments are appreciated!


	2. The Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today was definitely weird but that won't stop Yuuri.

 

Victor being Victor had a duplicate copy of the keys to the rink. Some might question why or how but he was Victor fuckin' Nikiforov and if he needed ice time he would get his ice time.

This proved to be a great advantage to Yuuri who had the habit of staying late for practice.

...or in this case going to the rink early.

Yuuri got dressed in his practice clothes, took the keys and made his way to the door. He grabbed a coat from the coat rack as he opened the door. But before he got out of the apartment, he heard a faint whimper.

 

 

_Makkachin._

The poodle had been stirred awake by Yuuri moving around. As if knowing his intent to leave, Makkachin clung to his leg like her life depended on it.

"Shh... calm down, girl," He patted the dog's head, "I'm leaving but I'll be back as soon as possible."

That seemed to do the trick as Makkachin detached herself from Yuuri's leg and curled up beside the apartment door.

 

Thankfully, the rink was only two blocks from their apartment building so Yuuri just had walk to get there. If it was cold inside, the outside was sure as hell colder. No idiot would willingly go outside at this time. Except for Yuuri. There was a strange pull that he experienced.

The cold that would on a regular basis discourage anybody it reaches, beckoned him. It enveloped him in a mist wanting to protect him from the dangers of the world.

Now, any normal person would have turned back and went home. Not Yuuri. He kept walking until he reached the sports complex. When he got to the rink, the mist disappeared.

_What's happening!?_

_____________________

He was greeted by the security guard who came in hours before the rink opened. The security personnel had been performing their routinary inspection of the area when Yuuri arrived. They knew him, so they readily let him in the rink.

_Hmm, guess I didn't really need these keys after all._

He felt the pull again. Without wasting anymore time, Yuuri put on his skates and got on the ice. He carefully set his phone on the rafters placed on a formidable mount that was available rink side. He would record himself skating today.

He was feeling good. His energy was pulsing, screaming at him to skate already. He freestyled a rapid step sequence to a beat that played inside his head. He raised both his hands in a sweeping motion before pulling them back and pushing them forward.

He moved like his body was hit by a gust of wind; his arms like wings that blocked the wind. He then put his left foot forward, kicked with his right foot, tapped his right knee and whipped his head to the side.

He then started gaining momentum and transitioned into an unassisted [Y-spiral](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/bd/bf/3b/bdbf3bdaae3798b764e4688263bd2710.jpg). He held it for as long as he could. Swiftly, he bent his back into a [cantilever](http://68.media.tumblr.com/0356b6957b61a6e33017e4d48dcf7ee0/tumblr_ofj423SEuR1rcnqgoo1_r1_500.gif). He touched the ice with reverence then he went back into an upright position. He did not stop there.

His next step sequence would have made Plushenko break a sweat. His combination spins, all level 4s, would have made most skaters stop to balance themselves. Flying Sit Spin. Camel spin. Finally, he pulled his foot back into the characteristic [teardrop](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mq9GPGuCjEU/UlFG4Cw3WuI/AAAAAAAADe4/VnBGb1qJ6kk/s1600/Michael%252BChristian%252BMartinez%252BWinter%252BYouth%252BOlympic%252BL7mVTYU1OOPx.jpg) shape of a Bielmann spin.

He was sure he could use some of these movements in next season's routines. But somehow, he still wasn't satisfied.

_It's not enough. I have to do more._

Even for someone who had an impressive stamina like himself, this was ridiculous. He began doing the jumps by order of difficulty. From singles, doubles to triples, Yuuri hadn't stopped for a breather.

 

Yakov, even Victor, would have chastised him for doing so but he had to. He knew the risks of doing quads without supervision but he had to.

**He had to.**

His body was tingling for more. Sighing, he began to pace himself for the oncoming quads that he would be attempting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the Kudos! I expected less than 10, honestly.
> 
> Final chapter next!
> 
> 5 comments and I'll post it XP  
> Just kidding hahaha!
> 
> But please do leave a comment, if you can.  
> I'm a slut for comments and I would really appreciate your criticism.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Limitless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rink exit was wide open. It was; it really was. Yuuri could see that. 
> 
> One problem.
> 
> He could not leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it took a long time! Real life happened hahaha :)

First he step himself up for a Quad toe. Pretty standard procedure.

 _This was my first skating victory_. Up until training with Celestino in Detroit, Yuuri had not been able to land any quad. Most female skaters train their jumps in their early teens so they get used to it before they hit puberty. But Yuuri wasn't a female skater. So he didn't really worry when he was still in Hasetsu. It was when he came to Detroit that he realized: there were 16-year-olds that could already land quads that he, a 17-year-old at the time, couldn't.

So he pushed himself. And it worked. Perfect entry and perfect landing.

Next, the quad sal. The first time he saw Yurio launch himself into a 4S 3L combination like it was nothing, he knew he was something else. Prior to being coached by Victor, he could only land this particular quad in practice but never in competition.

Flash back to his first Grand Prix Final where he bombed his free skate; the quad sal was supposed to be one of the first jumps in the routine. Unfortunately, he failed his landing and that threw him off. Fast forward to now where the jump came as natural as the 4T to him. Victor had dedicated 1 hour of his daily regimen to repeatedly attempting the 4S. Needless to say, he had it on lock by the Cup of China event. He didn't really think he could land it in competition until he did.

_Other than Victor, I suppose I have Yurio to thank for helping me perfect this jump._

 

He skipped the quad lutz and quad loop since he had not been actively practicing these jumps. It would be foolish to attempt without proper training.

_As if doing any other quad without supervision isn't dangerous enough._

 

He didn't want to risk it further.

Last came the flip. The quad flip. The very culmination of his training with Victor. This jump was one of his personal favorites. Even if he did pop out of it half of the time. It was the symbolism it carried. Call him a sap but every quad flip he did ( _or at least tried_ ) felt like Victor was jumping with him. They were weightless as they flew in unison, boosted by the force of the ice beneath them.

He did a slow set up; doing some prerotations. He put a foot back and with the sharp sound of his toepick, he leapt. Again, there was that weightless feeling. But, it was gone faster than it came. Yuuri had landed the 4F without a hitch.

_Oh, I made it._

After the quads, Yuuri had began winding down; skating repetitive patterns on the ice.

_Strange. Any normal day and I wouldn't be able to land all those jumps consecutively._

He glided his way to where his phone was mounted. It was still recording. In the already cold rink, a chill ran down Yuuri's spine. An hour and a half had passed since he stepped into the ice. He did not remember charging his phone that night. It seems that whatever energy had overcome Yuuri this morning, his phone shared the same.

 _I better go home._ He was genuinely creeped out. He pocketed his phone and went to the exit. He grabbed his skate guards and hurriedly made his way to the exit.

 

He tried to. But, he could not.

It was as if something was stopping him from leaving. An indescribable feeling in his gut told him to follow that something. He noticed that the mist that had brought him to the rink had returned and clouded over whole rink. One had to squint to see the boards.

Yuuri made his way to the center of the rink. He suddenly felt like a live-wire, much like how he felt earlier. He skated to a spread eagle, looked over his shoulder and flew. His toepick did not touch the ice when he jumped. Triple Axel.

He twirled once.

 

And again.

 

Once more.

 

Half turn, no, another full turn

 

He had to do another half turn for a proper landing and he did.

 

_Wait what!?_

Triple Axels were not supposed to have four and a half rotations. A fully rotated triple axel had only three and a half. Yuuri had done the impossible.

He landed a Quad Axel.

Did I really just do that? He couldn't believe it. His hands were shaking and the rink felt colder than what he was used to. The mist had disappeared. As had the feeling in his gut. It was replaced by excitement. _I have to tell Victor._

He made his way to the rink opening and put on his skate guards. He was unlacing his skates when he remembered that his phone was in his pocket. He deflated.

_I didn't record it, fuck._

Annoyed, he scratched the back of his head.

"I guess I'll have to show him then." He said to no one in particular.

And he went on his way.

* * *

 

 

He never did get Victor to believe that he had landed a Quad Axel.

"Don't Just tell me, Yuuri. Show me." Victor teased before launching himself into his second quad flip in a row. It was still his signature move after all.

 

 _Victor won't know what hit him._ He kept training the jump secretly in hopes of including it in his routines next season. Eventually, he became confident enough to incorporate it into a program. He was just waiting for the right moment.

 

Turns out, come Grand Prix Final 2017, the whole skating world would not know what hit it. Victor was speechless at the Kiss and Cry as Yuuri broke the free skate record for the second consecutive year.

 

 

> **Nagoya, Japan**
> 
> Skating History is Made Anew: Grand Prix Final Silver Medalist Katsuki Yuuri lands first ratified Quad Axel.

Even Little Yura was dumbfounded.

"What the fuck, Katsudon!?"

 

Victor still won gold anyway.

* * *

 

 

Yuuri never really questioned what happened on that fateful morning but something, something had shoved him past his limits. Wonder what?

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayy!! It's finally done!
> 
> This is my first time writing fiction in English so I would love to hear any comments. Anything at all. I am not really confident in my fiction writing skills in general. I mostly write news articles for the university newspaper. So I am not sure if I wrote this well.
> 
> Again, please please comment if you can.
> 
> Even just a dot will be appreciated.
> 
> Thanks for reading! 'Til next time!


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